More than 75 leading experts to share research data, clinical experience on
use of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery -- novel,

non-invasive alternative to traditional surgery and radiotherapy for

serious medical conditions

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Focused Ultrasound
Surgery Foundation is pleased to announce the convening of the first major
International Symposium dedicated to the current and future use of magnetic
resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) -- a breakthrough
therapeutic technology for treating a variety of serious medical conditions
including cancer, neurological disorders, and uterine fibroids.

The MRgFUS 2008 International Symposium, to be held on October 6th and
7th in Washington, DC, will feature more than 75 leading clinicians,
scientists, and engineers from over 12 countries who are contributing to
the rapid advancement of this field. The multidisciplinary program will
span the latest research, current and future clinical applications, and
practical issues related to adoption including best practices, training,
and reimbursement. The program will be of interest to individuals from
academia, clinical treatment facilities, industry, and funding bodies.

"This is a landmark event in the evolution of focused ultrasound
surgery," said Dr. Neal F. Kassell, professor of neurosurgery at the
University of Virginia and Chairman of the Foundations' board. "Although
there has been significant work done around the world in the field for a
number of years, it isn't until you see it all come together like this that
you begin to understand the true potential of this technology to meet the
challenges of modern medicine with less invasive and more effective
treatment."

About magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS)

MRgFUS is a disruptive technology that is poised to revolutionize the
treatment of a wide variety of medical disorders by serving as the ultimate
in minimally invasive surgery; an alternative to radiation therapy; the
means for precisely delivering drugs in high concentrations to the point
where they are needed; and, dissolving blood clots and restoring
circulation.

MRgFUS is already established for the treatment of uterine fibroids and
holds the potential to non-invasively treat breast, prostate, liver, and
other benign and malignant tumors; to convert metastatic cancer from a
lethal disease to a manageable, chronic disorder; to reverse the disabling
and life threatening neurological deficits from stroke; to alleviate the
symptoms of Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and chronic pain; and to address
the host of other disorders ranging from heart disease to diabetes.

MRgFUS can be performed on an outpatient basis, does not require
general anesthesia or incisions, results in minimal discomfort and few
complications, and allows rapid recovery.

MRgFUS is the result of the integration of two technologies: high
intensity focused ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Focused
ultrasound technology uses multiple intersecting beams of ultrasound energy
focused with extreme precision on a target as small as 1mm in diameter.
This is analogous to focusing rays of sunlight with a magnifying glass on a
spot and burning a hole in a piece of paper. Where each individual
ultrasound beam passes through the tissue there is no effect, but where
they intersect in the body, the focused energy creates a cumulative effect,
enabling precise ablation of tissue, highly targeted drug delivery, or
liquefaction of blood clots. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to
visualize normal anatomy and abnormal structures within the body, to
localize the tissue to be targeted, to guide and control the treatment
interactively, and to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy.

About the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation (FUSF)

The Charlottesville-based Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation was
founded in 2006 as a catalyst to accelerate the development and worldwide
adoption of MRgFUS, and thereby improve the lives of millions of patients.
The Foundation's mission is to shorten the time from technology development
to patient treatment, to develop new applications and to accelerate the
worldwide adoption of MRgFUS. The Foundation's activities include: funding
translational and clinical research, providing fellowships for training
physicians and scientists, hosting symposia and workshops, maintaining
online informational resources, and establishing new centers of excellence.

Leading medical experts' perspective on MRgFUS Symposium 2008

"MRgFUS 2008 will highlight both current and potential future uses of
MRgFUS and will provide the most comprehensive and authoritative update of
this highly promising technology. This will help physicians realize the
potential of MRgFUS in mainstream medicine. This meeting will be a great
opportunity for the whole field to work together to accelerate the pace of
development and collaboration for MRgFUS."

"MRgFUS 2008 will be extremely helpful to the field. To date,
researchers using and developing MR guidance of focused ultrasound have had
to meet a various other meetings, be those in the field of MRI or
therapeutic ultrasound. Having a unified meeting will allow for all the
newest information and development in this combined research field to be
shared in the most efficient manner. For us, MRgFUS is an extremely
important technology. We are presently developing new applications for
therapeutic ultrasound that will take advantage of all the benefits that an
MR guided system has over other systems, including those for treatment
planning, optimization, and validation of therapy. Our ambitious goals for
these applications would not be technically feasible without an MR-guided
system."

"MRgFUS has the potential to be an important interventional tool which
has low morbidity and high efficacy."

-- David Gianfelice, M.D., Division Head of VIR, University Health
Network, Toronto, Canada

"This sort of focused meeting is how MRI started a generation ago. This
could be as big or bigger. For stroke thrombolysis it could be the most
important meeting in the country. The pieces are coming together for the
breakthrough techniques of the next decade. MRgFUS 2008 will be the place
where critical mass is achieved and the solutions start to take real
shape."

-- William C. Culp, M.D., Professor of Radiology & Surgery, Chief of
Interventional Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

"MRgFUS is an extremely important development. As a neuroradiologist, I
have a major interest in stroke. MRgFUS could totally revolutionize the
treatment of acute stroke by liquefying the thrombus. The MRgFUS 2008
meeting is very important for issues such as reimbursement. The more users
of MRgFUS we have the sooner we will get category I codes for
reimbursement."

"MRgFUS is already very important in some areas of medicine, and can
become very important in neurosurgery because of the minimally invasiveness
of this tool. MRgFUS could be used in neurooncology, neurovascular and
functional neurosurgical cases. One of the most attractive features is the
possibility to eliminate the need of radiation therapy and its unwelcome
side effects. MRgFUS 2008 will be a very helpful meeting, because more
physicians need to be aware of MRgFUS technology."

-- Mario Zuccarello, M.D., Professor; Director, Division of
Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

"MRgFUS 2008 in Washington, DC, will be a very exciting opportunity for
a multi-disciplinary team of experts to present and discuss the future --
it should be very helpful in increasing awareness and will accelerate the
advancement of the entire field. MRgFUS is a major part of our clinical
research currently and will grow and become a major treatment option for
many of our patients."

"The MRgFUS 2008 meeting will be the first major international
scientific congress addressing the rationale for and feasibility of focal
therapy for prostate cancer. It will bring together experts in imaging and
treatment technology with experts in the diseases. I think it will launch
an exciting new era in minimally invasive treatment of cancer. MRgFUS
promises to play a major role in oncology in the future. [It will be]
extremely valuable for urology and for surgical oncology in general."

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